Slow Burn

Chapter 1

August 2015

I wake up to the sound of Taylor Swift playing from my alarm clock.

"Ugh, school." I think to myself.

The start of  junior year, all my brothers are gone. Just me and my mom and the start of a new year.

***
"Brit, I'm here!" I yell into the phone

"Coming!" She yells back and hangs up.

I turn back up the music and listen as the bass bumps throughout my car.

Britney or Brit for short is one of my oldest friends. We can never figure out which year we met, but all we know is that it was a start of a great friendship. 

See my dad made me invite her to my party, even though I was reluctant, I did, and I'm glad I did. 

I check the time and note we have a good 10 minutes before school starts. I smile thinking about how this year will be great. 

"Sorry, I'm here!" Brit says entering my car. She's dolled up to the max rather than slumming it. Her hair is straightened and her winged liner is on point showing off her brown eyes. 

I put the car into drive and make my way to school. 

"Finally no more walking to school. Literally the worst." Brit tells me. 

"I would never know, all I know is that I never want to ride that awful fart smelling bus again." I let her know cringing my nose in disgust. 

"Better than walking at least." 

I roll my eyes as I pull into an empty parking spot at school. We make our way down the parking lot and into the familiar school for the first time in 3 months. 

Text from Ariana: Where are you??

Reply to Ariana: Just walking in where r you? 

Text from Ariana: Media!! Come bell rings in 5. 

Britney and I arrive at the media center and a wave of nostalgia hits me. Even though I haven't seen these people in a week or two, it felt like a decade. 

"Hailey!" I yell, and catch her attention. Her blue eyes find me within the crowd. 

"Simone! Brit!" She yells back and gives us a hug. 

Hailey has a nice tan going on making her blue eyes even bluer and her dirty blonde hair look brighter. 

"Where are you going?" I ask. 

"I'm gonna go look around for other people." She replies. "But, I will see you in 3rd period!" With that she's off and gone into the crowd. 

Brit and I walk into media, and we stop to locate where our friends are. As soon as I see Henry, I know Jada and Ariana are close by. 

"What's up crusties!" Henry says to us as we approach the table. 

"Henry! How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not crusty. I pull boys." Brit counters back. 

"More like you kill boys with your deadly farts. I don't even know how I am still alive on earth." 

I open my mouth to say something, but I am attacked from behind with a hug. 

"Wtf? Get off of me!" I turn to see it was just Ariana but I still make a big deal to push her off.

She is smiling her award winning smile as if she got casted into a show on Broadway. Ariana is the shortest out of all of us, and maybe the nicest. I'm surprised she is still friends with us because we tease her relentlessly. 

"Hey friend!" She says with her smile still on her face.

"Lol why are you in such a good mood?" I ask. 

"What, I can't be happy?" 

"No we are in school, and we had to wake up early." 

"Guys!" Jada's familiar voice flows through the air. 

I see her frazzled state coming towards us, even though she is a mess, she's still stunning even though she doesn't think she is which confuses me since I look like a blob. 

Jada has the most toned body 24/7 and eats anything and everything. Also her mixed ancestry with her brown hair and lighter brown eyes, and a great personality makes her a person people just want to meet and be friends with. 

"What?" Brit asks. 

"First hi, two I'm having my sweet sixteen dinner next week! You all HAVE to come. I forgot the invites, but I promise you I will bring them in tomorrow" She tells us. She never remembered the invites.

"And we won't forget your birthday tomorrow." Ariana says animatedly. 

"Yay! I can't wait." Brit says excitedly. 

A few seconds later, the bell rings signaling the official start of the day. We all part our different ways in search of our classes. 

*          *          *

"How's your day so far?" I ask Brit during lunch. Sadly, she's the only one to share a lunch shift with me today. 

"He's back!" She squeals. Brit has always been a little boy crazy. 

"Who?"

"Jake Flores"

"Literally I have no idea who that is." I let her know. 

"He's only the most beautiful person I've ever seen." She tells me. 

I laugh and continue to walk towards a table with familiar faces. We find a group and sit with them discussing how each of our first days are going. 

It's nice to catch up with everyone I haven't seen or talked to since last year.